Potatoes are a staple in Indian kitchens. This versatile vegetable is used in a variety of dishes, including sandwiches, potato bites, parathas, sabzis, and curries. Potatoes are a star ingredient in the kitchen, and they are also used to bind dishes. If there is excess salt in any curry, adding a boiled potato can balance it out. Aloo Korma, Poori Aloo, Palak Aloo, and Aloo Rasedaar are common recipes made in Indian households, but Dum Aloo is a popular dish often reserved for special occasions. Despite its popularity, there are regional variations of this delicious recipe. Punjabi Banarsi Dum Aloo and Kashmiri Dum Aloo are both popular, but here we will focus on the Dhaba Style Dum Aloo.
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What Is Dum Aloo? What Is The Origin Of Dum Aloo?
Dum Aloo is a dish that has its roots in the traditional Kashmiri Pandit cuisine, which is the cuisine of the Hindu Brahmin community of the Kashmir Valley in Jammu and Kashmir. The dish is made with baby potatoes that are typically deep-fried and then cooked in a spicy, aromatic gravy made with a blend of Kashmiri spices and other ingredients like onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and yogurt.
The name "Dum Aloo" comes from the Hindi words "dum," which refers to the slow-cooking technique used to prepare the dish, and "aloo," which means potato. The potatoes used in Dum Aloo are usually small and round, and they are first boiled or parboiled and then pierced with a fork to allow the spices to penetrate the potato. The deep-frying process helps to give the potatoes a crispy exterior and a fluffy interior, which makes them the perfect vehicle for soaking up the delicious gravy.
What Are The Key Things To Keep In Mind While Making Dum Aloo?
- Always use mustard oil when making Dum Aloo, as it imparts a great taste to the dish. Never cook Dum Aloo in refined oil.
- After boiling the potatoes, pierce them with a fork. This will allow the potatoes to absorb the full flavours of the spices.
- Fry whole spices in oil on a low flame so that their full flavour infuses into the gravy.
How To Make Dhaba-Style Dum Aloo:
Take baby potatoes, parboil them, peel them, and pierce all the potatoes with a fork.
Heat 1 cup of mustard oil in a Kadhai and deep fry the potatoes until a nice golden layer appears. Take them out and set them aside.
Add 1 bay leaf, 2 small cardamoms, a cinnamon stick, and 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds to the oil. Then, add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a few minutes.
Add 1 finely chopped onion and fry it until translucent. After some time, add the puree of 2 tomatoes and fry well.
Add red chilli, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, and salt to taste. Mix well and add some kasoori methi.
Saute the masala for two more minutes, add half a cup of curd and mix. At the same time, add 2 tbsp of cream or cream and mix it.
After frying the spices well, add the fried potatoes to the gravy and mix them with the masala.
Add 2 cups of water, cover the Kadhai, and let it cook on a low flame until all the spices are well mixed with the potatoes.
After a while, you will see that the potatoes are well coated with the gravy. Turn off the gas, garnish with green coriander, and serve hot.